1. Technical Field
The present invention provides a method and structure for increasing an electrical resistance of a resistor that is located within a semiconductor structure such as a semiconductor wafer, a semiconductor chip, and an integrated circuit.
2. Related Art
A resistor on a wafer may have its electrical resistance trimmed by using laser ablation to remove a portion of the resistor. For example, the laser ablation may cut slots in the resistor. With existing technology, however, trimming a resistor by using laser ablation requires the resistor to have dimensions on the order of tens of microns. A method and structure is needed to increase the electrical resistance of a resistor on a wafer generally, and to increase the electrical resistance of a resistor having dimensions at a micron or sub-micron level.
The present invention provides a method for increasing an electrical resistance of a resistor, comprising the steps of:
providing a semiconductor structure that includes the resistor; and
oxidizing a fraction F of a surface layer of the resistor with oxygen particles, resulting in the increasing of the electrical resistance of the resistor.
The present invention provides an electrical structure, comprising:
a semiconductor structure that includes a resistor; and
oxygen particles in an oxidizing reaction with a fraction F of a surface layer of the resistor, wherein the oxidizing reaction increases an electrical resistance of the resistor.
The present invention provides a method for increasing an electrical resistance of a resistor, comprising the steps of:
providing a semiconductor structure that includes the resistor; and
nitridizing a fraction F of a surface layer of the resistor with nitrogen particles, resulting in the increasing of the electrical resistance of the resistor.
The present invention provides an electrical structure, comprising:
a semiconductor structure that includes a resistor; and
nitrogen particles in an nitridizing reaction with a fraction F of a surface layer of the resistor, wherein the nitridizing reaction increases an electrical resistance of the resistor.
The present invention provides a method and structure for increasing an electrical resistance of a resistor on a wafer generally, and for increasing the electrical resistance of a resistor having dimensions at a micron or sub-micron level.